Thanks to GLSEN for this story
Crossposted at my blog burn after writing
In 2005, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network released a study conducted by Harris Interactive - "From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America - A National Report on School Bullying" - that looked at "students’ and teachers’ experiences with bullying and harassment." They interviewed 3,450 students aged 13 to 18 and 1,011 secondary school teachers. It was the first national study that took on the topic of bullying in America's schools.
Not surprisingly, 65% of students reported that they had been bullied within the year in which the study was conducted "because of their perceived or actual appearance, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, race/ethnicity, disability or religion." The purpose of the study was to gain information in order to help raise awareness in schools across the country about the prevalence of bullying and the need for outreach, education and policies that would lead to a safer environment for students.
Today, GLSEN has released a follow-up study on bullying, biased remarks and family diversity conducted by Harris Interactive, called "Playgrounds and Prejudice: Elementary School Climate in the United States" - this time based on interviews with "1,065 elementary school students in 3rd to 6th grade and 1,099 elementary school teachers of K-6th grade." It examines homophobia and gender nonconformity in elementary schools. The study found that:
Bullying and harassment are not uncommon occurrences at the elementary school level, especially for students who may be vulnerable because of personal characteristics such as physical appearance, ability and not conforming to traditional gender norms. Although school climates are not especially hostile at this age, more can be done to set a foundation for safe and supportive school environments that span across students’ school years.
Elementary teachers often intervene in incidents of bullying and harassment, and most report being comfortable doing so. Yet, most are not comfortable responding to questions about LGBT people and few elementary students are taught about LGBT families. This tendency is not surprising given that most teachers report receiving professional development on addressing bullying, but not about subjects like gender issues or LGBT families. It is clear that an approach that fosters respect and values diversity even before bullying occurs, in addition to addressing bullying as it happens, would be welcomed by elementary school teachers who are eager to learn more about creating safe and supportive environments. Ensuring that all students and families are respected and valued in elementary school would not only provide a more positive learning environment for younger students, but would also lay the groundwork for safe and affirming middle and high schools.
Biased, sexist, homophobic, transphobic and racist remarks are common in elementary schools. Some types of comments are more common than others.
The study notes the reluctance of teachers to discuss same-sex parents and discusses particularly the problems that teachers have with addressing questions about people who are LGBT. Less than half of teachers (48%), for example, feel comfortable addressing questions about people who are lesbian, gay or bisexual. The rest are split between feeling uncomfortable or neither uncomfortable nor uncomfortable with discussing these issues with their students. But only four in ten teachers (41%) would feel comfortable discussing people who are transgender with most teachers feeling uncomfortable or neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. This is a real problem because, as the American Psychological Association notes:
Transgender people experience their transgender identity in a variety of ways and may become aware of their transgender identity at any age. Some can trace their transgender identities and feelings back to their earliest memories. They may have vague feelings of “not fitting in” with people of their assigned sex or specific wishes to be something other than their assigned sex. Others become aware of their transgender identities or begin to explore and experience gender-nonconforming attitudes and behaviors during adolescence or much later in life. Some embrace their transgender feelings, while others struggle with feelings of shame or confusion. Those who transition later in life may have struggled to fit in adequately as their assigned sex only to later face dissatisfaction with their lives. Some transgender people, transsexuals in particular, experience intense dissatisfaction with their sex assigned at birth, physical sex characteristics, or the gender role associated with that sex. These individuals often seek gender-affirming treatments.
Aside from the fact that teachers need to be aware that any student at any age may realize they are transgender (or gay, lesbian or bisexual for that matter, though this data on people who are transgender is especially eye opening) and may need support, information and a safe place, teachers also need to be aware of the fact that some of their students may have parents who are transgender or parents in a same-sex relationship, or both. Teachers need to be able to answer questions and discuss the diversity of families of the students in their schools and they need to be more approachable generally. These two studies together, the first one addressing middle school and high school students, and this one addressing elementary school students, show that bullying and antagonistic behavior toward people "based on appearance" may start early on in schools but the study adds more weight to the idea that bullying is more prevalent among middle school students, meaning that the older you get, the more bullying you could experience. If teachers started to address these problems and discuss the lives and struggles of people who are LGBT directly, perhaps the number of students in middle schools and high schools who are bullied and harassed could decrease with time.
And this behavior is so prevalent and so obvious that it is noticed by nearly all students in elementary schools. From one of the key findings:
Three-fourths of students (75%) report that students at their school are called names, made fun of or bullied with at least some regularity. Most commonly this is because of students’ looks or body size (67%), followed by not being good at sports (37%), how well they do at schoolwork (26%), not conforming to traditional gender norms/roles (23%) or because other people think they’re gay (21%).
Of course students who observe this behavior from the beginning of their educational careers may repeat it and may need to be taught that it's not the right thing to do. If this is happening so early in life, it's hard to imagine that they would instinctively know better.
Here are all the key findings:
Key Findings on Biased Language, Name-Calling and Bullying
- The most common forms of biased language in elementary schools, heard regularly (i.e., sometimes, often or all the time) by both students and teachers, are the use of the word“gay” in a negative way, such as “that’s so gay,” (students: 45%, teachers: 49%) and comments like “spaz” or “retard” (51% of students, 45% of teachers). Many also report regularly hearing students make homophobic remarks, such as “fag” or “lesbo” (students: 26%, teachers: 26%) and negative comments about race/ethnicity (students: 26%, teachers: 21%).
- Three-fourths of students (75%) report that students at their school are called names, made fun of or bullied with at least some regularity. Most commonly this is because of students’ looks or body size (67%), followed by not being good at sports (37%), how well they do at schoolwork (26%), not conforming to traditional gender norms/roles (23%) or because other people think they’re gay (21%).
Key Findings on Gender Non-Conforming Students
- Nearly 1 in 10 of elementary students in 3rd to 6th grade (8%) indicate that they do not always conform to traditional gender norms/roles – either they are boys who others sometimes think, act or look like a girl, or they are girls who others sometimes think, act or look like a boy.
- Gender nonconforming students are less likely than other students to feel very safe at school (42% vs 61%), and are more likely than others to indicate they sometimes do not want to go to school because they feel unsafe or afraid there (35% vs 15%). Gender nonconforming students are also more likely than others to be called names, made fun of or bullied at least sometimes at school (56% vs 33%).
- Less than half of teachers believe that a gender nonconforming student would feel comfortable at their school (male student who acts or looks traditionally feminine: 44%, female student who acts or looks traditionally masculine: 49%)
- Only a third (34%) of teachers report having personally engaged in efforts to create a safe and supportive classroom environment for gender nonconforming students.
Key Findings on Family Diversity
- Seven in ten students (72%) say they have been taught that there are many different kinds of families. However, less than 2 in 10 (18%) have learned about families with gay or lesbian parents (families that have two dads or two moms).
- While an overwhelming majority of elementary school teachers say that they include representations of different families when the topic of families comes up in their classrooms (89%), less than a quarter of teachers report any representation of lesbian, gay or bisexual parents (21%) or transgender parents (8%).
- Only a quarter (24%) of teachers report having personally engaged in efforts to create a safe and supportive classroom environment for families with LGBT parents.
Key Findings on Teacher Preparedness
- A majority of elementary school teachers believe they are obligated to ensure a safe learning environment for gender nonconforming students (83%) and students with LGBT parents (70%). Eight in 10 teachers would feel comfortable addressing name-calling, bullying or harassment of students because a student is perceived to be gay, lesbian or bisexual (81%) or is gender nonconforming (81%).
- Less than half of teachers (48%) indicate that they feel comfortable responding to questions from their students about gay, lesbian or bisexual people. There was a lower level of comfort found among teachers (41%) responding to questions from their students about transgender people.
- A majority of teachers (85%) have received professional development on diversity or multicultural issues, but less than half of teachers have ever received specific professional development on gender issues (37%) or on families with LGBT parents (23%).
Until now, there has not been a comprehensive look at elementary school students and teachers and how much bullying and anti-LGBT sentiment exists in elementary schools.
There is a fair amount of research and reporting on middle school students as well as high school and college students, with an increased focus on LGBT bullying and suicides in the past few years.
The mainstream media fairly recently took notice of school bullying and harassment of LGBT teenagers and college students. Justin Aaberg - a fifteen year old boy in Minnesota who hung himself in his bedroom after telling friends that he was being bullied relentlessly at school - captured the attention of the press. The Anoka-Hennepin district where he attended school was rife with anti-gay bullying and eight kids committed suicide within a two year period in the district. The school board had adopted a policy of "neutrality" in which they did not discuss LGBT issues or people who are LGBT, which was obviously not the correct approach:
Carlson, the district superintendent, lost a teenage daughter of his own in a car crash, and says he shares the anguish of the parents bereaved by suicide. He acknowledges that a controversial district policy calling for "neutrality" in classroom discussions of sexual orientation may have created an impression among some teachers, students and outsiders that school staff wouldn't intervene aggressively to combat anti-gay bullying.
The district — Minnesota's largest — serves nearly 40,000 students in 13 towns. The school board adopted the neutrality policy in 2009 as a balancing act, trying not to offend either liberal or conservative families.
In 2009, GLSEN had released a School Climate Survey, using ten years of data to track treatment of people who are LGBT in schools:
An analysis of National School Climate Survey data over 10 years showed that since 1999 there has been a decreasing trend in the frequency of hearing homophobic remarks; however, LGBT students' experiences with more severe forms of bullying and harassment have remained relatively constant.
Their survey suggests that:
{...][O]nly 18 percent said their schools had a comprehensive program addressing anti-gay bullying, while gay students in schools that had such programs were less likely to be victimized and more likely to report problems to staff.
Their 2009 Minnesota School Climate Report states that a "majority [of students] experienced verbal harassment (e.g., called names or threatened): more than 4 in 5 because of their sexual orientation and about 3 in 5 because of the way they expressed their gender" and noted that students also heard biased language from school staff.
It recommended implementing anti-bullying policies.
In Michigan the Departments of Justice and Education stepped in to defend bullied students and investigate high schools.
In California, thirteen year old Seth Walsh hung himself after being bullied for several years at school. The Tehachapi School District did nothing to stop the bullying. The Departments of Justice and Education found the district negligent. The 2009 California School Climate report had found that schools were generally unsafe for people who are LGBT.
But these were all older students. This new study delves deeper into elementary schools and attempts to learn what teachers and students understand about people who are LGBT and what they are doing to fight back against bullying. The study points out that most elementary school students feel safe at school, but:
Although a majority of elementary school students feel very safe at school, bullying and name-calling are experienced by a sizable number of students. Students who are bullied regularly at school report lower grades and a lower quality of life than other students.
At the outset of their educational careers, students who are bullied regularly actually experience a lower quality of life. And as I noted, bullying is worse as one progresses to middle and high school. It seems to me that teachers, counselors and administrators need to do what they can at every grade level to prevent this. Since people generally feel unsafe reporting it to teachers and staff, those teachers and staff should take the initiative.
Only a quarter (24%) of teachers report having personally engaged in efforts to create a safe and supportive classroom environment for families with LGBT parents.
Teachers say they agree:
Over eight in ten teachers (83%) agree that teachers and other school personnel have an obligation to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment for students who do not conform to traditional gender norms.
And schools seem to be slowly improving:
• Eight in ten teachers (81%) report that their school has implemented anti-bullying or anti-harassment policies, including 24% who say their school has a comprehensive policy that specifically mentions sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.
• Six in ten teachers (61%) report that their school has classroom-based curricula or education programs for students regarding bullying or harassment.
• Six in ten teachers (61%) report that their school has implemented professional development (i.e., training) for school personnel related to bullying or harassment.
• A large majority of teachers have personally received professional development on bullying or harassment (85%). However, less than half (45%) feel they need further professional development in this area.
That is good, though less than half of teachers have received professional training on gender issues and on LGBT parenting. There is still much that should be done. There are steps that can be taken immediately to make school environments safer for elementary school students. Allowing bullying and harassment to continue simply because some school districts don't want to train teachers in how to deal with people who are LGBT is something that is unacceptable.
The conclusion calls for an approach that fosters respect and values diversity at the outset and I think that's the correct approach. Everyone is different and some people are more different than others; and school environments that recognize and respect differences in people and that learn to talk about those differences openly and honestly without hesitation would provide safe and productive places for elementary school students to thrive without fear of being attacked or hearing comments denigrating their identities all the time.
LGBT people, and especially LGBT kids, deal with a lot more than any average person. This happens just because of who we are. The way we're born. Even without the bullying and harassment there are always so many fears - fear of coming out, of being outed, of being attacked. And then there's the struggle to define ourselves - why don't I feel like my friends and my family feel? What's wrong with me? We're taught to embrace a certain world view from birth and that world view includes getting married to someone of the opposite sex, raising a family, going to church, being part of a bigger community. And then we realize that we're not part of that world and we can't be.
It's a struggle, and there are a lot of mental hurdles we have to go through.
Schools can make it a lot easier for people who are LGBT. Policies can be implemented and bullies can be warned or suspended and teachers can discuss people who are LGBT with anyone who has questions or with anyone who is seen bullying another student.
“School climate and victimization can affect students’ educational outcomes and personal development at every grade level,” said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard. “Playgrounds and Prejudice offers invaluable insights into biased remarks and bullying in America’s elementary schools. The report also shows the need for elementary schools to do more to address issues of homophobia, gender expression and family diversity.”
In order to aid teachers and schools in education and anti-bullying efforts, GLSEN also released Ready, Set, Respect! GLSEN’s Elementary School Toolkit, an instructional resource developed to help educators address issues raised in Playgrounds and Prejudice, particularly teachers’ willingness to address but lack of understanding of biased language, LGBT-inclusive family diversity and gender nonconformity.
Hopefully the Toolkit will be of some use to teachers and administrators across the country. And hopefully it can be introduced in some of the districts where the worst offenses are ongoing. Now that we're gathering more information about bullying and anti-LGBT sentiment at all levels of schooling, as well as information on the structural biases and the lack of education and anti-bullying administrative plans, we have a basis on which to start building a welcoming place for everyone regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, race or ethnicity, or disability.